54 FISHI^'G-GKOUNDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



fatlioms of water and a coral bottom. This is a summer fisliing-grouud, aud small boats and 

 smacks visit it from May until August. Porgees, blackfisli, redmoutli grunts, black gruuts, tautog. 

 sailor's-cboice, aud cobias are taken. Porgees school here abundantly in August, and about 

 three hundred is considered a fair day's catch; these weigh from three-fourths of a pound to one 

 pound each, and are tied in bunches of five each for sale. The average daily catch of blackfish 

 is two hundred and fifty; of grunts three hundred; but only a few tautog, black grunts, and 

 sailor's-choice are taken. Cobias come in May and remain until July; they drive ail other fish 

 away from these grounds. The average daily catch of this species to a man is three. 



Coffin Land Ground or Inner Ground bears south-southeast eight miles from Charleston 

 light, and is three miles long east and west by two and one-half miles wide north and south. 

 The bottom is of coral rock and the depth seven to nine fathoms. Smacks and boats fish on this 

 ground with hooks and lines (the only method pursued on these grounds) principally from April 

 to December. Jacks are caught from April to August, porgees from July to October, and black- 

 fish and sea bass from the first of October to the first of December. The average daily catch to 

 a man of all kinds is about four hundred fish. 



Old Farms Ground bears south southeast eighteen miles from Charleston light, is five 

 miles long east and west by three miles wide north and south, and has a depth of twelve to 

 seventeen fathoms, with a bottom of coral and broken shells. This is a winter fishing-ground 

 and only smacks resort to it. Sea bass, red snappers, and bastard sna])pers are the principal 

 fish t^ken from October to April, but, besides these, a few tautog, black grunts, and red-mouthed 

 grunts are caught. The bait used on this and other grounds in the vicinity is blackfish, shark, 

 and squid. The former is the best. The daily catch of fish to a man is about three hundred. 



Outer Old Farms Ground bears south-southeast twenty-five miles from Charleston light, 

 and is three miles long east and west by one and one-half miles wide north aud south. The bottom 

 is of coral rock with "willows," and the depth seventeen fathoms. This is also a winter ground 

 for the same kinds of fish that are caught on the Old Farms, and fishing is carried on from 

 October to April. 



Inner South Ground bears south one-half east from Charleston light ; distance, fifteen 

 miles. Its length is one and one-half miles east and west, and its widtli one-half mile north and 

 south. It has twelve fathoms of water, and an uneven bottom of coral rock and yellow " willoArs." 

 This is a winter ground, resorted to by smacks only, from December until April. Blackfish, 

 bastard snappers, red snappers, black gruuts, porgees, i'ud occasionally sharks, uursefish, and 

 squirrel fish are taken. Bastard snappers are the most plentiful, while the other kinds are 

 generally scarce. 



Outer South Ground bears south one-half east, twenty-seven and one-half miles, from 

 Charleston light, and extends two miles east and west and three-fourths of a mile north and south. 

 The depth of water is fourteen and one-h£|,lf fathoms, aud the bottom consists of coral rocks, 

 yellow " willows," and sponges. It is a winter ground, fished on from December to Ai^ril. Tlie 

 same kinds offish occur upon it as upon the Inner South Ground. 



Edisto Bank bears southeast by south eleven miles from Edisto Harbor. It is one mile 

 long east and west by one-fourth of a mile wide, and has a depth of eight to ten fathoms. The 

 bottom consi.sts of rocks and shells aud on the north side of red sand. Smacks fish hero from 

 April to October. The fish taken are sea bass, porgees, red-mouthed grunts, a few jacks, aud 

 occasionally a cobia. Sliarks (puppy sharks) are so plentiful in June as to stop fishing. 



Blank Ground bears southwest one-half south eight or nine miles from Outer South 

 Ground, and extends four or five miles east and west and two miles north and south. It has 



